James Harden scored 16 out of his 21 total points at the free throw line

[STATUTORY]

how can anybody enjoy watching this guy play? :facepalm

[BigtimeNBAFan]

Has anyone ever scored 21 points while only making 2 shots? Crazy.

[Wally450]

Kevin Martin used to have games like that once in a while.

[Trollsmasher]

Has anyone ever scored 21 points while only making 2 shots? Crazy.

probably Harden multiple time

[SouBeachTalents]

He's got to hold the record for most 2/11 esque playoff games

[Shogon]

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/ee/b8/c3/eeb8c3a09a7182330dd008221b131165.gif

[imdaman99]

They were doubling. What do you want him to do? They don't have a system that can get him the ball back like the Warriors do. He's great at drawing fouls. But when he was passing up floaters to PJ Tucker next to him, it seemed like he checked out :(

[Shogon]

They were doubling. What do you want him to do? They don't have a system that can get him the ball back like the Warriors do. He's great at drawing fouls. But when he was passing up floaters to PJ Tucker next to him, it seemed like he checked out :(

James Harden almost always quits when he doesn't score enough points in a game. I'm ashamed for not pointing out/not immediately recognizing that being a thing with the Lakers doubling.

[aj1987]

He's got to hold the record for most 2/11 esque playoff games

Just looked it up. Harden has 20 games shooting under 30% in the PO's. To put that in perspective, LeBron has 9, while having played nearly double the games.

[BigtimeNBAFan]

probably Harden multiple time

Probably true.

[RRR3]

Just looked it up. Harden has 20 games shooting under 30% in the PO's. To put that in perspective, LeBron has 9, while having played nearly double the games.
I know LeBron shoots better from the floor but that is truly incredible.

[AirTupac]

Harden shot 4 more FTs than we did as an entire team

[Marchesk]

Harden shot 4 more FTs than we did as an entire team

The fix is in.

[Bronbron23]

They were doubling. What do you want him to do? They don't have a system that can get him the ball back like the Warriors do. He's great at drawing fouls. But when he was passing up floaters to PJ Tucker next to him, it seemed like he checked out :(

How about a simple pass out and cut? Something harden rarely does. Off ball movement is a skill like anything else and hardens off ball game is trash.

[WhiteKyrie]

They were doubling. What do you want him to do? They don't have a system that can get him the ball back like the Warriors do. He's great at drawing fouls. But when he was passing up floaters to PJ Tucker next to him, it seemed like he checked out :(

Man. Retarded Westbrick should’ve feasted heh?

[LAmbruh]

The superstar MVP's controlling top seeds out West all decade :lol


Tis a shame, really was hoping for a slug fest. Not a poor mans Jeff Teague

[tpols]

How about a simple pass out and cut? Something harden rarely does. Off ball movement is a skill like anything else and hardens off ball game is trash.

he was constantly doing that. Watch the games they are BLITZING him with doubles and leaving westbrook wide open. They are constantly forcing the ball out of his hands and running his shooters off the line forcing them to play inside the arc.

[RRR3]

Man. Retarded Westbrick should’ve feasted heh?
Westbrook had 25 points on 8-16. He wasn’t the problem.

[Vragrant]

I can’t wait until Harden retires.

[r0drig0lac]

disgusting

[SouBeachTalents]

Just looked it up. Harden has 20 games shooting under 30% in the PO's. To put that in perspective, LeBron has 9, while having played nearly double the games.
What's most damning is how many times he's shot under 20%. Compared to his peers (and discounting low minute rookie games)

LeBron: 1
Durant: 0
Curry: 1
Kawhi: 0
Westbrook: 0

Harden: 8

[Proctor]

What's most damning is how many times he's shot under 20%. Compared to his peers (and discounting low minute rookie games)

LeBron: 1
Durant: 0
Curry: 1
Kawhi: 0
Westbrook: 0

Harden: 8

:oldlol:

[dankok8]

Harden is really held to a ridiculous standard. People are nitpicking individual games. Lebron had a pretty subpar game himself.

[SATAN]

I can’t wait until Harden retires.

This

[aj1987]

What's most damning is how many times he's shot under 20%. Compared to his peers (and discounting low minute rookie games)

LeBron: 1
Durant: 0
Curry: 1
Kawhi: 0
Westbrook: 0

Harden: 8

Jesus! That's hilariously bad.

LeBron's was against the Celtics in '08, I'm assuming? IIRC, he shot something like 2/20. :facepalm

[Penetrator]

That was just embarrassing to watch

[Gohan]

How are y’all really blaming harden? They trapped him the whole game. That’s not real basketball. That’s coward ness on the lakers part

[WhiteKyrie]

How are y’all really blaming harden? They trapped him the whole game. That’s not real basketball. That’s coward ness on the lakers part
How is that not real basketball? That’s defensive strategy. Harden or D’Antoni then has to do something else to be effective. SMH. That cowardly ass response of yours. What ISN’T basketball is illegal side step or back step traveling before a jump shot.

[Doranku]

What's most damning is how many times he's shot under 20%. Compared to his peers (and discounting low minute rookie games)

LeBron: 1
Durant: 0
Curry: 1
Kawhi: 0
Westbrook: 0

Harden: 8

He also had two 2-10 performances in the finals which aren't included since you specified under 20% :lol

I mean, look at this shit:

2-18
3-20
3-17
2-11
2-11 (elimination game)
2-11 (elimination game, NBA playoff record 12 turnovers)
2-11
3-16

[ImKobe]

How are y’all really blaming harden? They trapped him the whole game. That’s not real basketball. That’s coward ness on the lakers part

Yes it is, it's called defense. They have two stars. It's up to them and the coach to make adjusments and get him open off-ball.

[SouBeachTalents]

He also had two 2-10 performances in the finals which aren't included since you specified under 20% :lol

I mean, look at this shit:

2-18
3-20
3-17
2-11
2-11 (elimination game)
2-11 (elimination game, NBA playoff record 12 turnovers)
2-11
3-16
And he just had a 4/15 Game 7 too. He really might be the worst superstar playoff performer ever

[WhiteKyrie]

And he just had a 4/15 Game 7 too. He really might be the worst superstar playoff performer ever
Eye test people have been saying this based off how he puts and gets his staggering regular season numbers for years. He’s the most D’Antoni player of all time.

[Gohan]

How is that not real basketball? That’s defensive strategy. Harden or D’Antoni then has to do something else to be effective. SMH. That cowardly ass response of yours. What ISN’T basketball is illegal side step or back step traveling before a jump shot.

Keep letting your emotions get the best of you lmao. Nothing was cowardly about my response it just takes the fun out of watching the players play

[r0drig0lac]

How are y’all really blaming harden? They trapped him the whole game. That’s not real basketball. That’s coward ness on the lakers part:biggums:

[Gohan]

:biggums:

Like I said already it just takes the fun out the game

[rawimpact]

James Hardini does it again in the fourth!!

That said he'll have a big game 5 and push the series to game 6 and 7.

[Bronbron23]

he was constantly doing that. Watch the games they are BLITZING him with doubles and leaving westbrook wide open. They are constantly forcing the ball out of his hands and running his shooters off the line forcing them to play inside the arc.

no he isnt. Sometimes he'll pass and cut back out to get the ball on the perimeter again that does nothing. Im talking cutting to the rim which if he gets the ball back totally breaks down the defense. He rarely paases and does a basic cut to the whole. His off ball game us trash bruh. I think even the most die hard stans would agree

[PeroAntic]

https://media.giphy.com/media/3o7btP089a98Xr6AV2/giphy.gif

[hold this L]

What's most damning is how many times he's shot under 20%. Compared to his peers (and discounting low minute rookie games)

LeBron: 1
Durant: 0
Curry: 1
Kawhi: 0
Westbrook: 0

Harden: 8

https://media.tenor.com/images/b1a4927932172c4344d4304f084f4537/tenor.gif

The most surprising is WB being significantly better.

[jayfan]

Kevin Martin used to have games like that once in a while.

I think I'd rather have Kevin Martin.


.

[jayfan]

How are y’all really blaming harden? They trapped him the whole game. That’s not real basketball. That’s coward ness on the lakers part

This is about the same as complaining that blitzing the QB isn't real football.

How can you blame the offense when the defensive employs such cowardly tactics?

:facepalm


.

[PeroAntic]

This is about the same as complaining that blitzing the QB isn't real football.

How can you blame the offense when the defensive employs such cowardly tactics?

:facepalm


.

Its ridiculous. If the Rockets werent purposefully built to accomodate for Harden's ballhogging one dimensionality, then this wouldn't be a problem. You live by Harden's chucking, you die by Harden's chucking. And more often than not, its the latter.

[STATUTORY]

:roll: holy shit, first time i seen this:

https://i.imgur.com/UR0jSxF.gif?noredirect

[Shogon]

:roll: holy shit, first time i seen this:

https://i.imgur.com/UR0jSxF.gif?noredirect

Thank you for being incapable, after 10k posts and 10 years of posting here, of identifying the fact that this board has been and continues to be incompatible with imgur.com links. Thank you! Because it offers me to once again point out how much of a clueless, unobservant and mindlessly wandering through life dolt you really are!

Really! Thank you!

And, as for everyone else, here is the gif he tried to link... it's pretty funny. The execution could be a bit better but you get the idea. :roll:

https://i.postimg.cc/Zq1VmmPW/UR0jSxF.gif

[imdaman99]

Man. Retarded Westbrick should’ve feasted heh?

Who are you and why do you keep trolling me about Goatbrook? He got you in your feelings bruh? How about posting from your original account? :lol

Don't be so mad, coach.

[Roundball_Rock]

Who are you and why do you keep trolling me about Goatbrook? He got you in your feelings bruh? How about posting from your original account? :lol

Don't be so mad, coach.

He makes it so easy, doesn't he? :lol

[Kblaze8855]

We really acting like a double is something guys who score 30 something a game shouldn’t be prepared to deal with? Its exactly what used to be done whenever someone got hot and if you didn’t after the game the coach got roasted by media asking how they let one man kill them.

You hear Barkley and other old players ask all the time why teams let a guy just go off and play so free.

You hear young fans act like today’s shooting makes a double impossible yet....here we are.

And with Harden it’s even easier since so much of his scoring is based on him getting to dance and dance while everyone watches with the floor spaced. If he can’t get open off the ball for a catch and shoot or attack instantly on the catch that’s a hole in his game being exploited.

Guys like Jordan, Bird, and even lesser people like AI who were known for one on one used to just switch to eating you up off the ball for open looks....some could attack a double before it locked in because they didn’t take 8 seconds of sizing up to make a move. Doubles didn’t stop Jordan often because he’d get open off the ball and when the second man game he’d either split them or be so far into his move he was shooting when they got there.

Years of “Dribble dribble dribble....dribble dribble.....dribble dribble travel shoot” being allowed because modern D fears open looks from 3 and scrambling to get back into position has probably caused his quick attack game to atrophy and has obviously stunted the off ball game he had developing when he had Westbrook and KD to play off.

Not dealing well with doubles used to be one of the biggest complaints about young stars then you get better.

Most players today don’t seem to learn because the most basic way to slow a hot player isn’t used much anymore.

”Make someone else beat you” was the motto of half the coaches in the league at one point.

For all you people thinking how Hardens advanced skill set would own other eras remember that this is how they would try to stop him and that he wouldn’t have half the shooters he has now to make them stop.

This shit is basketball at its most basic. Double their scorer? That’s been the tactic since like 1920 when the first bigs dominated all the 6’2” forwards.

If you can’t deal with concepts so basic guys who learned about the game last Tuesday could think up both your star and coach have a problem.

[Kblaze8855]

Between the give and go:

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/NecessaryBetterAgama-size_restricted.gif




and his ability to split doubles or use his post spin to give him a brief one on one with the second defender as the first recovered....and his ability to just get open off the ball?

You couldn’t stop guys as polished as he was with doubles. Not for long at least.

[tpols]

The problem isn't just the doubling, it's the lack of creators he has to throw it to after the double. He's throwing it to PJ tucker or jeff green or covington on a roll, and all they can do is maybe 1 dribble max and make a simple pass to the open man. They don't have any nuance in their ability to be patient and create off the roll like say an iggy type. This used to work well and get them lots of open 3's, but the Lakers are reading the hockey assist now and jumping it. Vogel has clearly figured their game out in the film room. Laker defenders are also not guarding westbrook outside 15 feet so they have the personel to play the passing lanes even more aggressively.

And with all that being said they are like 1 or 2 shots away from being tied 2-2 if it isn't for he who shall not be named.

Again... it's silly to expect Harden to 2v1 AD and Lebron. You guys just have unrealistic expectations.

[Kblaze8855]

If basketball games actually were two on one it would be...but they aren’t. Harden and Westbrook scored more than Lebron and AD. But that isn’t what decides who wins.

[tpols]

Scored more when?

AD and Harden are both averaging 29 ppg. Lebron is averaging 25 ppg to [ ]'s 22 ppg on infinitely better efficiency.

You would have to be straight up lying to say the Rockets wouldn't be infinitely better with AD or Lebron catching the roll pass off the hard double and trying to make something happen over anybody on the Rockets... and by a ton.

[Kblaze8855]

What is it with this place and arguments with things only they said?

And I mean the game this topic is about.